Combination condiment holder



V 3, 1956 E. DOLAR COMBINATION CONDIMENT HOLDER Filed Aug. 9, 1954 COMBINATION CONDIMENT HOLDER Edward Dolar, McHenry, Ill. Application August 9, 1954, Serial No. 448,647 6 Claims. (Cl. 222142.2)

My invention relates to new and improved combination condiment container holder units, of the type which include individual salt and pepper shakers, although, of course, other condiments and the like may be dispensed therefrom.

Generally speaking, combination units comprising individual salt and pepper shakers have heretofore been suggested wherein cover means are provided for closing either of said shakers, as desired, when dispensing condiment from the other of said shakers. Such prior known units have, however, been relatively costly to manufacture and have proven not too effective in actual use.

In acordance with my invention, combination condiment container holder units have been evolved which possess the merits of simplicity in construction, extremely low cost of manufacture, and the ability to be used readily and effectively for their intended purposes.

The combination condiment container holder unit of my invention comprises a support member which includes a pair of frames each of which is provided with an aperture. Each aperture has means associated therewith for supporting an individual condiment container having a perforated top closure, such as a conventional salt or pepper shaker, and each of the frame members is formed or provided with an extension thereon. A cover plate is disposed above the frame members and is adapted to cover the perforated top closures of the condiment containers when the latter are supported in position in association with the aforementioned apertures in the frame members. Downwardly extending from the cover plate is a post and associated with said post and passing through both of the extensions on the frame members is a pin. The result is that the frames and the cover plate are swivelly mounted in relation to each other so as to permit movement of the frame members or the cover plate as desired to expose at least either one of the perforated closures of the condiment containers.

In the accompanying drawings, I show certain illustrative embodiments of my invention, although it will be understood that certain changes and modifications can be made which utilize the essential principles and teachings provided herein.

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a combination condiment container holder unit embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view with the cover plate removed.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing the cover plate closing the perforated closure of one of the condiment containers with the perforated closure of the other condiment container exposed by reason of swivelly moving said latter container out from under the cover plate;

Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 4 except that it shows the opposite arrangement of the two containers in relation to the cover plate;

nite States Patent 0 Fig. 6 is an elevation showing a modified construction in which the modification resides in the manner of effect ing the pivoting or swivelling arrangement of the frame members and cover plate;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view along the line 7-7 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the pin locking means used in the swivel construction of the embodiment of Fig. 6.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2, the combination condiment container holder unit comprises a support member indicated generally by numeral 10 which includes a pair of frames 12, 14 each of which is provided with an aperture, preferably circular, extending therethrough. Extending into and through said apertures are the necks 16 and 18 of condiment containers 20 and 22, respectively, said necks being preferably threaded. Each of said frame members 12 and 14, adjacent the apertures therein, is provided with a shoulder 24, 26, which may, if desired, extend partially or entirely circumferentially about said apertures. The perforated closures 28, 30 for the condiment containers 20 and 22, respectively, are adapted to rest on their respective shoulders 24, 26. It will be seen, therefore, that when the necks of the condiment containers are extended through the apertures in the frame members, and the perforated closures are screwed down on said necks, the lower edges of the closure members rest on the shoulders and support the condiment containers in vertical position.

Each of said frame members is provided with an extension 32, 34 which is of generally triangular configuration and of lesser depth than the depth of the frame members as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Said extensions 32, 34 converge toward each other but are offset so that in their overlying relationship their total depth or thickness is substantially that of the frame members 12, 14 proper.

Adapated to overlie the perforated closures 28, 30 is a cover plate 36 which is provided with a downwardly extending post 38 having a central opening 40 therein. Pin means 42, in the form of a screw, passes through both of the overlying extensions 32, 34 and into said opening 40, forming the pivot about which the frames 12, 14 and the cover plate 36 are swivelly movable in relation to each other to permit movement of said frame members or said cover plate, as desired, to expose at least either one of the perforated closures 28, 30. In the construction described, by moving the cover plate 36 to a position at right angles, or somewhat less, to that shown in Fig. 1, both perforated closures 28 and 30 are uncovered. With the cover plate in closed position, as shown in Fig. 1, either of the frame members 12 and 14 (or the movement can be effected by means of the condiment containers) may be moved out from under the cover plate as desired.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8, wherein the only difference lies in the construction of the pivot pin arrangement, instead of using a screw 42 as in Figs. 1-5, inclusive, I use a pin 44 having a circumferential slot 46 near its bottom. The pin is held against release by a fastening means 48 in the form of a ring member, having an aperture 50 through which the pin 44 passes, and provided with opposed inwardly extending curved portions 52, 54 which fit into said slot 46.

The combination condiment container holder unit per se comprising the frame members, the extensions thereon, the cover plate and its depending post can be made simply and inexpensively from synthetic plastic materials by inexpensive molding procedures. Their assembly with the pivot pin is extremely simple and the same is true with respect to assembling and removing the condiment containers for refilling or otherwise. Indeed, in this connection, for instance, with the parts in the position shOWn in Fig. 1, one need only unscrew the containers and 22, fill or refill them, and screw them back into their respective perforated closures 28 and 30.

What 1 claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A combination condiment container holder unit comprising a support member including a pair of frames each of which is provided with an aperture, means associated with said aperture for supporting a condiment container having a perforated top closure, said frame members each having an extension thereon, a cover plate disposed above said frame members and adapted to cover the said perforated closures when the condiment holders are supported in position in association with said apertures in said frame members, said cover plate having a downwardly extending post, and pin means associated with said post and passing through both of said extensions on said frame members whereby said frames and said cover plate are swivelly mounted in relation to each other to permit movement of said frame members or said cover plate as desired to expose at least either one of said perforated closures.

2. A combination condiment container holder unit comprising a support member including a pair of frames each of which is provided with an aperture through which the neck of a condiment container is adapted to pass, said frame members each having a shoulder adjacent said apertures upon which a perforated closure for said condiment container is adapted to rest, said frame members each having an extension thereon, a cover plate disposed above said frame members and adapted to cover the said perforated closures when the latter are in position on said shoulders, said cover plate having a downwardly extending post, and pin means passing through both of said extensions on said frame members and into said post whereby said frames and said cover plate are swivelly mounted in relation to each other to permit movement of said frame members or said cover plate as desired to expose at least either one of said perforated closures.

3. A combination condiment container holder unit comprising a support member including a pair of frames each of which is provided with an aperture through which the neck of a condiment container is adapted to pass, said frame members each having a shoulder adjacent said apertures upon which a perforated closure for said condiment container is adapted to rest, said frame members each having an extension thereon of lesser depth than the depth of said frame members, a cover plate disposed above said frame members and adapted to cover the said perforated closures when the latter are in position on said shoulders, said cover plate having a downwardly extending post, and pin means passing through both of said extensions on said frame members and into said post whereby said frames and said cover plate are swivelly mounted in relation to each other to permit movement of said frame members or said cover plate as desired to expose either one or both of said perforated closures.

4. A combination condiment container holder unit 4 comprising a support member including a pair of frames each of which is provided with a circular aperture through which the neck of a condiment container is adapted to pass, said frame members each having a shoulder adjacent said apertures upon which a perforated closure for said condiment container is adapted to rest, said frame members each having an extension thereon of lesser depth than the depth of the frame members, said extensions converging toward but being offset from each other, a cover plate disposed above said frame members and adapted to cover the said perforated closures when the latter are in position on said shoulders, said cover plate having a downwardly extending post, and pin means associated with said post and passing through both of said extensions on said frame members and serving as a pivot about which said frames and said cover plate are movable in relation to each other to permit movement of said frame members or said cover plate as desired to expose at least either one of said perforated closures.

5. A combination condiment container holder unit comprising a support member including a pair of frames each of which is provided with an aperture, a condiment container having a perforated top closure supported in fixed position through each of said apertures, said frame members each having an extension thereon, a cover plate disposed above said frame members and adapted to cover the said perforated top closures of said condiment containers when the latter are in said fixed positions through said apertures, said cover plate having a downwardly extending post, and pin means associated with said post and passing through both of said extensions on said frame members whereby said frames and said cover plate are swivelly mounted in relation to each other to permit movement of said frame members or said cover plate as desired to expose at least either one of said perforated closures.

6. A combination condiment container holder unit comprising a support member including a pair of frames each of which is provided with an aperture, two condiment containers the necks of which extend through said apertures, said frame members each having a shoulder adjacent said apertures upon which a perforated closure for each of said condiment containers is adapted to rest, said frame members each having an extension thereon, a cover plate adapted to cover the said perforated closures when the latter are in position on said shoulders, said cover plate having a downwardly extending post, and pin means passing through at least both of said extensions on said frame members whereby said frames and said cover plate are swivelly mounted in relation to each other to permit movement of said frame members or said cover plate as desired to expose at least either one of said perforated closures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 409,927 Clements Aug. 27, 1889 727,350 Graeme May 5, 1903 1,739,363 Kraft Dec. 10, 1929 2,182,623 Dolar Dec. 5, 1939 

